Jane Sumwalt Obituary

Jane Ellen Sumwalt

Jun 10, 1940 - Apr 25, 2023

Palm Harbor, FL

Jane Ellen Sumwalt (Nordloh), 82, died Monday, April 25, 2023, at her home in Palm Harbor, Florida.

Her life as a mother, sister, school teacher, artist, and longtime Audubon Society bird watcher and church leader was celebrated with a lovely service and fellowship at Northwood Presbyterian Church. She and her twin brother, John, were born June 10, 1940, to Beltron and Ethel Nordloh, who preceded her in death.

She is survived by a sister, Evelyn Towns of Palm Harbor; three children, Ann Sumwalt, Sherry James, and Scott Sumwalt; and four grandchildren.

From her birthplace of Elwood, Indiana, life took her to Winchester, IN, and Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN whereupon her degree in Home Economics led to a prestigious career in publishing as an Editor with Good Housekeeping magazine in New York City. She later lived in Cleveland, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania, St. James, Minnesota, and Huron. After re-entering the workforce, she completed a midlife Master's Degree in Guidance and Counselling at Bowling Green State University with night and weekend classes. Her dedication paid off and she was granted tenure at EHOVE Joint Vocational School in Milan, where she was adored by her Early Childhood Education students. Upon retirement, she moved to Florida. She was honoured by the Sandusky Register with Best In Show and First Place awards for her nature photographs and she was also a very talented watercolor artist. She enjoyed going to movies, concerts, and restaurants, and hosting discreet, mask-wearing compliant pizza and Scrabble nights at home during COVID. That was the only time she stopped exploring the world – logging decades of overseas trips to England, Scotland, Italy, France, as well as Cape Cod, MA, IN, AK, CA, and CO – with a joyful, adventurous spirit that is greatly missed this year at Christmas.